Buffer device foe railway caks



Dec. 13, 1927.

Y 1,652,395 G. E. COUTAN'll BUFFER DEVICE FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Feb, 20, 1925 2 Sheets-@neet 2 j y Z# Z/l" Patented Dec. i3, 92?,

GEORGE E. COUTANT, OF DECATUR, ILLNOIS.

BUFFER 'DEVGE FOR RALWAY CARS.

Application filed February 20, 1925. Serial No. 10,453.

Thisinvention relates to buffer devices for jection 19 which is secured on thel inner surrailway Cars, face of the buffer plate 20, said center stem The general purpose of my invention is to being slidably supported in the usual bearprovide an improved buf-ting mechanism ining portions 21 provided therefor in the car cluding Ythe usual center stem, with side platform structure. rEhe buffer member 2O 60 stems of a novel construct-ion which are aris provided on top wit-li a horizontally disranged in such. manner as to protect the posed plate 22 which is adapted to slide besprings associated therewith, prevent ratneath the usual threshold plate 23 associated tling between the vparts,'to provide a mucli with the platform.

shorter stem :than that usually7 employed, The bufling device is also provided with 65 without sacrificing' any of the ordinary adside stems 24-24, disposed one on either side vantages, and obviating the necessity for o f the central bufiing member, each of the two or more bearings for each side stem by side stems and associated parts being of the mounting the spring elements associated sanie construction, and similar reference with the stein between the bearing connecnumerals will be utilized to describe similar 70 tions thereof. parts of the side stein arrangement. Each A more specific object of tlie invention is of said side stems 24 is in the form of a tuto provide a tubular stem pivotally conbular member, the forward end of which nected to the buffer plate, and slidably and projects into a bracket 25 which is secured pivotally connected to the end sill of the to the inner surface of the buffer member 2O 75 car, and disposing a spring within said tube by -means of rivets 26. The bracket member which is compressed upon inward movement is provided with a centrally disposed lug of the buffer plate. 2f? having a bearing opening therein, and the Other and further objects of the invention side walls 28 of such bracket are also pro- 25 will more clearly appear from the descripvided with openings. An annular block 29 80 tion and claims hereinafter following. is iitted in the end of the stein 24, and such In the drawings forming a part of this block is also provided with a bore. Extendspeciiication, Figure 1 is a top plan View, 111g through the portions 28. the tubular partly in horizontal section, of a buffing dein einber24, the block 29, and the lug 27, is a 30V vice for railroad cars embodying my invenpivot pin 30` the arrangement being suoli S5 tion. Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical secthat the tubular member 24 is pivotally contion on the line 22, of Figure 1. Figure 3 nected to the buffer member 20. The tubuis a longitudinal vertical section through a lar member is slidably mounted in the usual portion of the Car platform, and the side support 31 forming part of the end sill 32 35 stems of the buing mechanism, on the line 0f the car, a wear plate 33 being carried 3-3 of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a transby the member 3l upon which the tubular vers@ vertical Section 0f the bung meehamember 24 slides. rlhe rear end of the tunisin side stein, and related parts, on the billar member 24 is slotted on its opposite line 4 4 of Figure 3. sides as indicated at 34, the slots 34 extend- Referring to the drawings, the numeral 9 lng to a point adjacent the rear end of the 95 f represents the end platform of a passenger member. The end sill 32 is provided with car, provided with a pocket 10 for `the recepan opening 36 to permit reciprocation of tion of the central shock absorbing members Jthe stein 24, and formed on the end sill 32 of the buiiing device 11. The central ineinis a bracket 37, having an opening therein,

ber 11 consistsofashell 12, containing comand web 3S of the carrying port-ion 31 ico pression resist-ing mechanism not shown, a formed on the end sill 32 is also provided buffer Cap 14- gecured t0 the Carrying arms With an Opening. LOOSGly CliSpOSeCl iii the 15, and a preliminary spring 16, all of which eiid of the tubular member is a block 40, construction may be of any suitable ory dehaving an opening therein corresponding in 5o sired form. position with the openings just described, 105

A center buiiing stem 17 is provided, such Mld all 0f Such Openings are aligned for stem engaging at its rear end the central the reCptlOIi of the pivot pin 41 which buiiing unit, and at its forward end the stem preferably extends through the top wall of is provided with a semicircular recess 18 the platform as shown at 42. A coiled eX- adapted for the reception of a rib or propansion spring 43 is disposed within the 110 tubular stem 24, the rear end of said spring bearing upon the block 40 and the forward end of said spring bearing upon the block. Q9. In operation during buff, the buffer member 2O is driven inwardly compressing the center compression resisting means l2 through the medium of the center stem I7. During the operation, the side stems Q4 are also driven inwardly, and duc to the presence of the slots 34e therein, each stem moves relatively tothe pivot pin and blocl; 40, re-

sulting in compression of the spring 43.

thereagainst. IVhen the pressure is relieved upon the buffer member, each stem @il is permitted to resume its original position under the influence of the spring 418.

By the above described arrangement it Will be noted that the entire mechanism of the side stems is disposed in front of the end sill 32, and this condition is rendered possible by shortening the stems 24 by providing a tubular arrangementwhich contains the spring elements. In ordinary constructions the side stems extend to the rear of the end sill, and the spring is mounted on the stem to the rear of the end Wall, necessitating an additional bearing` for the rear extremity ofl the stem, and this arrangement sets up a disagreeable noise due to its construction, which feature, as Well as the excessive length of the stem is eliminated by my invention. In addition it should be noted that the arrangement described provides a hollow tubular side stem which is pivotally connected to the buffer member, and pivotally and slidably connected to the end sill, whereby a very fiexible arrangement is provided which permits pivotal movementof the buffer member when the car ison a curve.

While I have herein shown and described What I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention, the same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes and modifications which come Within the scope of the claims appended hereto,

I claim:

l. In a bufling mechanism of the character described, the combination with the end platform of a car, provided `with an abutment on its underframe; of a buffer member associated with said platform; longitudinally movable side stems slidably supported intermediate their ends by portions of said underframe, and having pivotal connection with said buffer member and with said nnderframe; and resilient means associated with said stems and interposed between said buffer member and said abutment.

Q. In a butiing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the end sill of a car; of a buffer member; side stems slidably supported intermediate their ends, and having slidable and pivotalconnection with said end sill; and resilient means assodescribed, the v'combination with the end platform of a car provided with an abutment on its nnderframe; of a butler member;

-tubular side stems connecting said buffer member with said underframe; and resilient means disposed Within said tubular members a'nd normally urging said buffer member away from said abutment.

4. In a butIing mechanism of the character described, the combination With the end plat form of a car provided with an underframe; of a bulfer member associated with said platform; and side stems, each of Which has one end pivotally connected to the buffer member, and the other end pivotally and sliilably connected to the nnderframe of said platform; and resilient means associated with said stems for urging said buffer member outwardly from said platform.

5. In a baiting mechanism of the character described, the combination with the end platform of a car provided with an underframe; of a buffer member; tubular sidey stems, each of which has one end pivotally mounted on a pin carried by said buifeigvand the opposite end pivotally and slidably mounted on a pin carried by said underfran'ie; and resilient means disposed in said. tubular members, and arranged to react against said pivot pins.

6. In a buing mechanism of the character described, the combination with the end plattform of a car and the end sill thereof; of a buffer; a center stem associated with center compression resisting means and having its outer' end bearing on said buffer member; and tubular side stems, each of which has one end pivotally connected to a pivot pin secured to said buffer member, and the other end pivotally and slidably connected to a pivot pin mounted on means carried by said end sill; bearing blocks closing the ends of said A'tubular stems and mounted on said pivot pins; and resilient means ldisposed in said tubular members and bearing upon the blocks associated With said' pivot pins.

7. In a buffer mechanism for passenger cars having an end platform underframe, the combination With a buffer plate; of a center stem; and side stems, each side stem being connected to the bilder plate and slidably and pivotally connected to the platform underframe.

8. In a buffer mechanism for passenger cars, having an end platform casting, the combination with a buffer plate; of a center stem; and side stems, each side stem being pivotally connected` to the buffer plate and slidably connectedy to the platform casting, each said side stem being of tubular forma tion and having a spring disposed therein.

9. In a bufting mechanism, the combination with the underframe of a railvvay oar; of a buer; and tubular side stems, each of which has one end pvotally connected to a pivot member secured to said buler, and the other end pivotally connected to a pivot member mountedY on said underframe, one of said pivotal connections permitting 1ongitudinal movement of the Stem; and rel0 n Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto Subscribed my name this 16th 15 .day of February 1925.

GEORGE E. COUTANT. 

